By: Mark Wasik
Thursday, January 27
7:30 p.m. (ET) – Kennesaw State (9-9, 3-1 ASUN) vs. Jacksonville State (13-6, 6-0 ASUN)
Location:Â Kennesaw, Ga. | Convocation Center (4,600)
TV:Â ESPN+ (
Nolan Alexander, Terrance Hill)
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
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KSU Game Notes  | JSU Game NotesÂ
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KENNESAW, Ga. – Kennesaw State men's basketball hosts the game of the night in the ASUN on Thursday, as the second-place team in the East, the KSU Owls, host West division leader Jacksonville State in a key matchup for both squads. The game, which tips off at 7:30 pm (ET), will be streamed live on ESPN+.
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Thursday is also not only a Gold Rush night for the Owls, where the first 1,000 fans will receive a free KSU Gold T-shirt, but also a very special guest will be making an appearance. Everyone's favorite baseball mascot, Blooper of the Atlanta Braves, will be in attendance before the start of the contest.
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Adult tickets are available for $12 per game, $11 if bought online before the contest. The discounted rate for Seniors (55 and over) and Youth (ages 3-12) is $10. To purchase men's tickets online, fans should clickÂ
HERE.
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A FEW NOTES
♦ JSU was expected to be a position to challenge for the top of the ASUN, as the Gamecocks were picked third in the preseason coaches poll. Kennesaw State however is the surprise contender in the East after having been picked 11th in the preseason coaches poll, and 12th by the ASUN media. ♦ At 4-1, the Owls have already doubled their total conference win total from the previous two years combined, and a win Thursday would keep pace with current division leader Liberty (4-0).
♦ The Owls have one of the top defenses in conference play, holding their opponents to a league-low 37.7% shooting from the floor. The Owls also rank first in the ASUN in league games in turnover margin (+7.0) and are second in scoring defense at 61.4 ppg.
♦ The returning experience from last season is paying off on the offensive side for KSU, as the Owls' 77.1 ppg average is well ahead of the current school record of 75.0 ppg, set in the 2016-17 season.
♦ KSU played a challenging non-conference schedule this season, which currently ranks as the 27th-toughest non-conference schedule in the nation. The Owls' eight non-conference losses came at the hands of Iowa State, Creighton, Belmont, Wake Forest, Mercer, Wofford, Samford, and Nebraska. Those eight schools have a combined 99-56 record (through Jan. 21), while ISU has moved into the Top-25 rankings at 15th.
